Helllo again, everyone! Just 20 minutes ago, the Church officially announced that Presiding Bishop (now) Elder Gérald Caussé is the newest member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He was ordained an apostle today by President Dallin H. Oaks and the other 13 apostles. I am thrilled by this news. Bishop Caussé (now Elder Caussé again) was one of my top 3 theorized candidates for the existing apostolic vacancy.
And I had a feeling the new apostle would be announced in short order after the First Presidency was reorganized. In fact, when the only temple news this week was about the Burley Idaho Temple media day, I theorized (I can't remember whether publicly or privately) that the newest apostle might be announced this week.
Elder Caussé becomes the third current European apostle of the Church (joining Germany's Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf and England's Elder Patrick Kearon). Elder Caussé was born on May 20, 1963, so he is now also the Church's newest youngest apostle. Elder Caussé is also the second current apostle (after Elder Gary E. Stevenson) to have been the Presiding Bishop at the time of his apostolic call.
Elder Caussé is also the second current apostle with a May birthday, joining President Henry B. Eyring (whose birthday is on May 31). His impressive biography speaks for itself. His wife is also a French native, so they join Elder and Sister Uchtdorf to become the second current apostolic couple where both spouses were born outside the US (if memory serves, Sister Jennifer Kearon is American).
The Presiding Bishopric will be reorganized at a later date. Until that time, Elder Causse's counselors will together share the load of the Presiding Bishopric. I could not have been more surprised, elated, and excited by this news. I just knew that the Church wouldn't leave the apostolic vacancy unfilled until April.
I will let the rest of Elder Causee's impressive biography speak for itself. I am pleased by this news of the newest apostle and by the opportunity to share it with you all here. I invite you all to stay tuned here for my coverage of the latest updates from the Church News, Newsroom, and Church of Jesus Christ Temples sites. I’ll be sure to pass word of those along to you all as soon as I learn about them. In the meantime, that does it for now. All comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated on any post at any time, as long as all such feedback is made per the established guidelines.
I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. If you liked what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly added posts and comments, please subscribe to receive the applicable updates. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.
Now, just like we are dealing with in my Bishopric comes the aftereffects of extending a new calling. They have to extend the call to someone to replace Elder Causse as Presiding Bishop. Depending on who it is, that person will need to be replaced in their calling.
ReplyDeleteHey, Scott. That is correct. I think that the most likely scenario is that Bishop W. Christopher Waddell will be called as the new Presiding Bishop (probabluy within the next week or less), with Bishop L. Todd Budge replacing Bishop Waddell, and any current GA Seventy or male General Officer called as the new Second Counselor. Given that both Bishops Waddell and Budge were called when they were serving as GA Seventies, there seems to be some precedent there. As to which GA Seventy or male General Officer could be called, that's harder to say. I could also see a "new" Second Counselor called from the Church at large, including from the Auditing Department or an employee of the Presiding Bishopric, as was the case with Bishop Davies. Hope these thoughts are helpful, Scott! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
DeleteSomething else occurred to me late last night: Elder Causse is an accomplished pianist and organist, and was called to fill the vacancy resulting from the death of the previous "apostolic organist", President Nelson. I am not sure that played into his call, but it is an interesting coincidence, if nothing else.
ReplyDeleteAnd on the heels of Elder Causee's apostolic call, the Church News has shared these resources for studying/teaching from the October 2025 General Conference talk by Elder Quentin L. Cook. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News has shared this additional report, which speaks for itself. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News shared one additional report which speaks for itself. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Newsroom has recapped Elder Ronald A. Rasband's recent Central African ministry and Elder Gerald Causse's meeting with the media. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAnd the Church News has also covered Elder Causse's meeting with the media. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe latest edition of "This Week on Social" features social media content from the following general Church leaders::
DeletePresident D. Todd Christofferson, Second Counselor in the First Presidency; President Jeffrey R. Holland and Elders Dieter F. Uchtdorf, David A. Bednar, Neil L. Andersen, Ronald A. Rasband, Gary E. Stevenson, Gerrit W. Gong, and Gerald Causse of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Sister J. Anette Dennis, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency; Sister Tamara W. Runia, First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency (who did a joint post with Tamara McFadden of the Young Women General Advisory Council); Sister Andrea Munoz Spannaus, Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency; and Brothers David J. Wunderli and Sean R. Dixon, the respective First and Second Counselors in the Young Men General Presidency.
My thanks once again to you all.
Temple construction status updates have been reported for the Smithfield Utah and Cagayan de Oro Philippines Temples. And the latest photograph from the Winchester Virginia Temple page may point to full-scale construction starting soon. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Saturday thus far, the Church News has just shared this update. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News also shared the text of the message that will be offered by Brother Derrick Porter during the 5,017th episode of "Music & the Spoken Word" tomorrow. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Sabbath Day, the Newsroom has shared this report on Luz de Las Naciones (Light of the Nations), and a September 2025 conversation between President Dallin H. Oaks (who, at the time, was the President of the Quorum of the Twelve, and the First Counselor in the First Presidency) and President Jeffrey R. Holland (the then-Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles), who got together to discuss the legacy of BYU and that institution's sesquecentennial (150th birthday). And the Church News has shared one additional report which speaks for itself. My thanks once again to you all.
ReplyDeleteWith our "Come, Follow Me" study this next week centering on D&C 129-132, the Chuch News has shared what Church leaders have said about those sections. The latest edition of "In Case You Missed It: Week in Review" will likely be published later this afternoon. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe latest edition of "In Case You Missed It: Week in Review" highlights the top 9 developments reported by the Church News this week, including the call of Elder Gerald Causse to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News shared this counsel from Sister Bobbie Sandberg on guiding youth to live by doctrinally-based standards. My thanks once again to you all.
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